Material-handling machine



April 23, 1929.

G. R. WHlTNALL MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR.

AT ORNEY5.

G. R. WHITNALL MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE April 23, 1929.

5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan.

INVENTOR.

April 23, 1929. wH|TNALL 1,710,129

MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Z/ w 2/ INVENTOR A TTORNEYJ OEGE R. "WHITNALL, OF JANESVILLE, WISQCONSIISI, ASSlZ-QNQE 5T0 NGB HEIRN CON- .nCSZ'OR a CE), JANIJSVILIIE, VVISCQNSIIST, A CGITJIL QRJQLTZGN 01F "WISCGNSIN.

MATERIAL-HANDLING MACHINE.

npplicetion filed January 3, 1928. Serial 1%. 24 M250.

veins of mines for conveyii'ig and loading hithh l onto mine cars, the nnzclnne being designed and cons'structed so that it may be operated with efiiciency and moved in cramped and confined quarters.

Ii. further object oi the invention is in provide :1. nmterial handling machine equipped with an integral. swivclingly ethiened jock, -forming means Whe 'eby the con- WfffOl' may he elevated, or used for adjusting the conveyor on a track, or for jacking up and bodily moving the entire conveyor when cramped for operating room, or for assisting in ihe loading or unloading of the conveyor from o truck.

ll. further object of the invention is to provide a. material handling machine having euiomatic means "for taking up slack in the conveyor chains.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a. conveyor in which the motor and drive mechanism. are located in o compartment under the hopper end portion of the new chine whereby the center of gravity of the inneh'ie is positioned near the hopper end, permitting the wheels to be mounted at s cimsiderable distance from the dischiirge end o the machine, resulting in a. relatively great amount of clearance for operations.

A :t'urther object of the invention is to 'nxovide a material handling machine of the class described Which is exce'piionolly light and portable, is safe in its construction and operation and is Well suited for Work in inines.

A further object of the invention is to proi do :1 material handling machine which is simple, is strong and durable, and is Well adapted for the purposes set forth.

A further object of the invention is so provide e. materiel handling machine in which the axis of the motor for driving the endless conveyor heltoi the machine extends longitudinally of the machine to permit the use of a worm drive tronsmission end the i'os'nmtion of :1 narrow and light Weight inochine.

A further object of the invention is to provide material handling inoc-liine in which the discharge-end portion of the machine from the supporting wheels reorvvardly is of greater length then the corresponding length of the receiving end portion and the said parts are approximately balanced when the conveyor portion is in. a, l'iorizontal position by the position and arrangement of the conveyor motor and transmission.

With. the above and other objects in View the invention consists of the improved ma.- teriol handling machine, and its parts and combinations set forth in the claims, and all cqnivz'iients thereof.

in the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a side View of the material handling machine with a port broken away to show the motor and drive;

Fig. 52 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is view of the discharge end of the machine Fig. l is on enlarged fragmentary View, partly in section, oi the moi/or and drive onclosing portion of the machine, indicated on line i-42 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 a sectional view taken on line q an enlarged iraginentnry plan view oi the conveyor flights and conveyor trough Y o cross-sectional view thereof taken on line '4 of Fig. figend F i g. 8 is a. fragmentary side View illustra ing a. modification of the means for vertically adjusting the discharge end of the machine.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it Will appear that the numeral 10 indicates an elongated trough of angular shape and having s lower inner hopper end portion 10 and an upper enter discharge end portion 1.0. Depending from the trough intermediate its ends and sligl'itly closer to the hopper end then to the discharge end, is a frame 11 carrying bearings 12 in which is journeled axle 13. A pair of large flanged supporting Wheels 14c are mounted on the'end portions of said side.

Particular attention is directed to the curved end horieonielly extending discharge end portion 10 of the conveyor trough 10,

which permits the seid end to extend over the upper edge portion of e mine car to 21 point adjacent any portion of the cor end at the some time clear the edge portion of the cor and the low supporting timbers of theceiling of the mine. In some cases the clearance between the said timbers and the top of the mine car is one foot or less and as the discharge end portion of the machine only occupies a height of six and one-half inches this machine. is adapted to extend over the car a considerable distance and to operate in very restricted places.

Depending from the trough adjacent the frame ll and toward the hopper end, is a motor supporting frame 15, and the position of the frame, together with the weight of the mechanism carried thereby, is sutiicient to slightly overbalance the. longer discharge end of the machine, as shown in Fig. l, with the hopper end resting on the. ground, whereby the wheels may be positioned as shown, with a relatively great amount of clearance between said wheels and the discharge end of the trough. ed on the frame 15 and the motor shaft is connected, through a gear reduction 17, with a. large gear 18 mounted on the shaft 19 to drive the same.

Spacedapart, transversely extending flight members 20. later to be explained more in detail, are secured at their end portions to a pair of spaced end-less chains 21. The arrange ment and path of said chains is as follows: Starting at the lower hopper end of the machine, said chains are extended over a pair of sprocket wheels 22 carried by a shaft 23, which shaft is protected and covered by a cylindrical member 2t. The chains extend longitudinally along the side portions of the top surface of the trough 10, between pairs of angle members 25 and 26, forming parts of the trough, as shown clearly in Fig. 7, and at the outer discharge end portion of the trough, said chains are extended over a pair of sprocket-s 2'? carried by a shaft 28 which is mounted in bearings 29. Said bearings are mounted on the lower side of the trough. From the sprockets 27 the chains extend inwardly adjacent the undersurface of the trough and are supported at intervals by channeled straps or members 30. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the longitudinal extent of the under-portions of said chains is interrupted adjacent the motor where said chains pass over sprockets 31 carried by the shaft 19, and by which means the chains are driven, and then said chains pass under a pair of sprockets 32 carried by a shaft 33 inwardly of and below the shaft 19 and mounted in bearings 34. From the sprockets 32 the chains continue rearwardly to the first-mentioned sprockets 22.

From Figs. i and 5, it will be evident that the bearings 34 are carried by yielding takeup members 35, the bearings being movable longitudinally in guides 36 against the tension of coiled springs 37. i In this way, slack in the chains is automatically taken up.

An electric. motor 16 is mount-,

Particular attention is directed to the fact that he axis of the motor 16 extends approximately longitudinally with respect to the length of the machine to permit the use of a comparatively narrow frame and en lless conveyor and thereby conduce to the extremelightness of the entire machine and ease in manually handling same. Furthermore the longitudinally extending motor permits the use of a. worm reduction transmission 17 to provide a very high ratio of speed reduction and thereby permit the use of a smaller high speed motor than would ordinarily be used and thus further reduce the weight of the machine. i

The motor 16 and the transn'iission 17 are of such weight and are so positioned with relation to the supporting wheel 14 that they assist in maintaining the charging end of the convcyer resting on the ground and when the conveyer is swung to a horizontal position the motor and the transmission will assist in counterbalancing the longer or discharging end portion of the conveyor to permit easy handling.

The entire motor and drive compartment formed between the bottom member of the frame 15 and the pan 10, is enclosed by side plates 38 which may be formed with peep and hand holes to permit inspection and examination of the motor. The motor shaft carries a fan 39 for cooling the motor and the latter is controlled by a switch 40, with which it is electrically connected. Current is led to the switch through the medium of a cable H which is connected with a source of electrical supply, and unextended portions of the cable a re wound onto a reel 42. I

The top surface of the trough l() is covered by an elongated sheet of metal 43 form-.

ing a wear sheet, which is bent around at both ends, as at 43. This wear sheet may be easily removed and replaced when required. As previously mentioned, the flights 20 are secured at their end portions to the chains 21. As shown particularly in Figs. (3 and 7, the flights are carried by the chain pins 21, and each flight is formed of a pair of riveted to gether bars 20" having oppositely flanged end portions to receive the pins 21.

One of the important features of the invention resides in a ack 44 which depends from the machine intermediate the wheel and the discharge end of the trough and centrally transversely of the trough. A pair of plates 45 depend from the outer portion of the trough and a tubular shaft 46 has its end portions revolubly mounted therein and is 7 held against removal by cotter pins 47. A

ack rack 48 has its end portion 48 of bifurcated form to receive the shaft 4-6 and is revclubly mounted on a bolt 49 extended through the shaft and at right angles thereto. The jack rack is extensile with respect to a jack body 50, from which projects an operating handle 51, and the jack body is secured to an elongated supporting post 52 which is adapted to rest on the groundor on a support. With the mounting of the jack as described, it has :1 universal joint connection with the macl'iine, and may be pivotally moved longitudinally and latcrall ot the machine. The nuichino may be aclzcd up with its wheels oil the ground and the lower inner end resting upon the ground and then swung to the dcsircd position when putting it onto or removing it "from tracks, and it may be further llh'PH-(l short distances laterally or longitudinally oy being jacked up and swung laterally or longitudinally by utilizing the jack as a pivotal connection between the medial portion of the machine and the ground. This is n dcsi rable feature when short moves only can he made. due to working in a limited space.

For the purpose of moving the entire machine, two sets of handles 53 are provided, or iFIlgGCl as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Also, in moving the machine onto or oil of trucks lor tinnsportation, the jack is useful.

[is shown in Fig. l, the axle supporting we 11 includes a pair of l..-shapcd arms 11 ally connected at their lower ends to ch ,ated, engularly extending frame memlicrs ill by pivot members. 'ihe upper end portions oi? the arms ll ore ndjnstahly conl to short straps "l1" formin part oi the c, by means or holts adapted to be cx- .d tl'iroi Q h any ol :1 series ct bolt holes 55 positioned i an arc with relation to the pivot bolts 54. i 'lhen adjustments this nature made, the height or vertical disposition the discharge end portion of the trough in: be varied.

. snisin for adjusting the vertical. disposiion or the discharge end oi the trough. In c QOTIII the h-shapcd "nis ll" are pivotelly connected their lower ends to the. lower ds of the mine members owever, outer or upper end portions of. arms 7. e not positively directly connected to c straps ll, but instead, have "the end porms of cables 56 secured. thereto.

he other l portions of the cables secured" to vnis '4", ahout which the cables are adapted he wound, and o pair of said drums are ":i hinted fast on a, shaft 58 arr 'ing an open handle 59. Ratchets 60 are secured'to rum, and dogs (31 pivotally secured to straps 11 are adopted to engage said The result oi his arran ement is f a ov turning; the drums to wind or unwind 11w cables, the arms 11 are adjusted vertiv to raise or lower the upper or discharge of the trough. 'Tiihe dogs and rzitchets undesired unwindof mines ifor 101-, J meter or u csrs and he uses on or as or and the curved formation of the lower end portion of the trough acts as a skid in sliding the lower end portion to the desired position. l Vhen. the motor is set into operation, through the drive described, the endless chains are driven and material is loaded onto the hopper end bortion of the trough. The flights carry the n'iatcrial upwardly along the trough and discharge it from the upper outer end portion of the trough into mine cars. The machine is light and readily portable and may be worked in cramped quarters, the jack facilitating placing the machine in desired positions.

From the foregoing description it Will be seen that the improved material handling machine is of simple and novel construction, and well adapted for the purposes set forth.

"i/Vhat is claimed as the invention is:

l. A two wheel underground coal mine car loading machine, comprising a. tilteble inclined trough member having); a lower coal rccciving end and on upper curved and horizontally extending discharge end of comparatively shallow depth, a pair of supporting wheels connected to the trough n'iember and positioned consid .rably closer to the rcceiving end oi the trough than to the discharge cud to provide a trough discharge end portion which. is of greater length then the charging end portion and which is free from obstruction below the plane of and between said discharge end end a vertical plane adjacent the wheels, an endless conveyor for moving, coal along said trough member, an electric motor carried beneath the trough between the supporting wheels and the charging end of the tin 5h and having its shalt extending; longitudiimlly with respect to the. trough member, and a driving connection between the motor shaft and the endless conveyor.

2. two wheel ui'iderground coal mine car loading machine, comprising :1, tiltalile inclinecl frame member having on. upper trough like portion and a lower supporting portion, said. frame member llfl-Vlllg a lower receiving end and an upper curved and horizontally extending discharge portion, a pair of supporting wheels connected to the supporting portion. of the frame and positioned to provide a trough discharge end. portion which is of greater length and less depth than the charging end portion and which is free from obstructions below the plane of and between said d i schsrgc end and 1 vertical pl one od acen tthewheels, an endless conveyor for moving coal along said troug 1 member, an electric motor n'iountcd on the supporting portion of tho l'rsmc between the wheels and the charging end oi tlic rough and having. its sluil't extcndi linslly with. respect to the .nnd. a reduction inter- J nd the endless conveyor tor driving seiel conveyor.

llll) 3. A two wheel underground coal mine car loading machine comprising a tiitehie iociined frame member having en'upper trough like portion and a lower supporting portion, said frame member having a lower receiving end and an upper horizonteiiy extending discharge @ortion, a pair of supporting Wheeis connected to the sup-porting portion of the frame and positioned to provide a, trough discharge end portion which is or" greatei" length and iess uepth than the charging end portion and which is free from obstructions helo the piene of and between said discharge end and 1. vertical plane adjacent the wheeis, an endless conveyor for moving ooai upward- 1y on said trough momboii, an eiectri" motor mounted on the supporting portion of the frame between the WilGQiS end the charging end of the trough and havin g its shaft extending longitudineiiy with respect to the trough member. and 8, gear reduction means interposed between the motor and the endiess conveyer for driving said conveyor, said inotor and reduction means maintaining the trough normuiiy in. an inclined position but serving to counterbalance the discharge end of the trough when said trough is in horizontzii gioeitiozi,

at. d two Wheel undergrouifid coo ioedi oiiiiereceiving end and an upper horizonteiiy e21 connected to the trough member medially of its length, an endless conveyor for moving eosi along said trough member, an oieotrio mo tor carried by the trough member and having its sheit extendin iongitudinaiiy respect to the trough member,-e driving conneotion between the motor shaft and the endiess conveyor and a jack depending from and having a universei joint connection with the discharge end portion of the trough and ongegeehie with the ground for raising the Wheels from the ground and moving the mm chino in direotion.- v

5. A two Wheel underground coal mine our ioziding machine, comprising e tiitebie in- ,ciined trough member having a lower eooi receiving end and an upper discharge end, a puir of supporting wheels connected to the trough meziiber medieiiy of its length, an e1 '3- iess conveyor for moving 0021i along trough member, means for operating the 0ndiess conveyor, and jack pivotaiiy'depen: from the trough and engageahie at its end with the ground for raising the W from the ground and tiiting and moving t machine in direction.

in testimony whereof, I afiix my sigh GEORGE WE-HTNAJ n. 

